Colorados state congress is taking another stab at banning red light cameras at intersections, according to the Denver Post today. The measure is the second one of its type in as many years, with last years attempt failing to gain traction.

Red light cameras have been proven time and time again to be not only ineffective at making intersections safer, but have actually been demonstrated to increase the number of accidents in many places where they are used. However, they are huge revenue raisers for many states and municipalities.

Opposition to the measure comes from misguided types that are unaware of the research, as well as from cynical money grubbers that think the state can never have enough avenues of bleeding constituents dry-even at the expense of their safety. Studies conducted during last years discussion estimated that the state would not gain an additional $16.1 million dollars if they left. Well, they actually said that the state would lose $16.1 million dollars, but that phrasing implies that its the governments money, and not the motorists, to begin with.

The ban has massive bipartisan support in both houses. The wording would be identical to the one from 2014.

We killed them in Utah, but Colorado unfortunately has been undermined by a massive influx of moonbats. With cannabis wafting throughout the atmosphere (especially in Boulder) expect this fascism to continue.

3
posted on 01/15/2015 9:42:07 AM PST
by Seruzawa
(All those memories will be lost,in time, like tears in rain.)

To make it worse, Denver insists on extending the cameras to the crosswalk. So, if you do the right thing and stop, but are an inch into the crosswalk, you get a ticket. This, of course, makes the cameras even more dangerous, forcing drivers to stomp on the brakes hard, which enhances the risk of a rear end collision.

Despite an uproar by the citizenry, the city refuses to back down. So, I say ban the damn things.

Red Light cameras have become a tool of revenue generation which makes them really hard to kill off...

Every red-light camera I've timed has a yellow-to-red interval that's significantly shorter than a non-camera-controlled red light a block further down on the very same street. If you hit the intersection just as the light turns yellow, there's not enough time to finish crossing the intersection. If you see the light turn yellow as you cross, you're virtually guaranteed to get a "red light" ticket.

They aren’t even revenue generators strictly for the city/county. The money is split (sometimes 50-50) with the private firms that sell the equipment.

Someone needs to investigate the business ties between these firms and the politicians who advocate so much on their behalf (and renegotiate the contracts to favor the firms over the people they are elected to represent).

[ Every red-light camera I’ve timed has a yellow-to-red interval that’s significantly shorter than a non-camera-controlled red light a block further down on the very same street. If you hit the intersection just as the light turns yellow, there’s not enough time to finish crossing the intersection. If you see the light turn yellow as you cross, you’re virtually guaranteed to get a “red light” ticket. ]

And the progressives in local gov sold these lights as “ A way to reduce traffic accidents”.

What a damned lie, once they started up the accidents did go down, but then the the revenue per light slowly went down.

So what is a self important lib who thinks our money is their money to do?

They started shortening the period of the yellow light to “raise the revenue”..

Which lead to more income and more skitterish drivers who now will SLAM on their brakes at a yellow light with a camera rather than normally going through it with caution because they fear another damned 120 dollar ticket.

Which lead to MORE rear end accidents at these very same intersections!!!!!

So NOW I have to wonder what next piece of spy tracking tech they will want to install on our highways to “make us safer” (and raise the revenue to the government).

Oh wait they now want to tax us by the mile by mandatign GPS tracking cars and start using the toll way system to time cars and send tickets to cars that go through the toll roads too quickly...

[ Despite an uproar by the citizenry, the city refuses to back down. So, I say ban the damn things. ]

If our populace was actually informed and valued their freedom these lights would have been dismantled long ago by civil protest ala an old fashioned “Boston Tea Party” by American men dressed in in headdresses with sledgehammers to remove the damned things.....

[ They arent even revenue generators strictly for the city/county. The money is split (sometimes 50-50) with the private firms that sell the equipment.

Someone needs to investigate the business ties between these firms and the politicians who advocate so much on their behalf (and renegotiate the contracts to favor the firms over the people they are elected to represent). ]

Photo radar is a scam too. I got a ticket on a saturday morning, no other car in sight, normal conditions. I was over the limit but the ticket said pay the fine, no points, and the insurance company won’t be notified. So it wasn’t about safety at all.

20
posted on 01/15/2015 11:34:25 AM PST
by bravo whiskey
(we shouldn't fear the government. the government should fear us.)

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.